Apparatus for controlling the admission and relief of pressure to tanks and other appliances.



A. PRIESTMAN 8v E. C. MOORE. APPARATUS Fox GONTROLLING THE ADMISSION ANDRELIEF or PRESSURE To TA NKS AND OTHER APPLIANCES.

Patented D00. 27, 1910.

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A. PRIESTMAN d; E. C. MOORE. APPARATUS EOE GONTEOLLING TEE ADMISSION ANDRELIEF 0E PRESSURE To TANKS AND OTHER APPLIANGES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, 1908.

979,698, Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT OEEIOE.

ALBERT PRIESTMAN AND EDWARD C. MOORE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA;

SAID MOORE ASSIGNOR TO MERRITT & COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL-VANIA.

.APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE ADMISSION AND RELIEF OF PRESSURE T0 TANKSAND OTHER APPLIANCES.

To all whom t 'may concern:

Be it known that we, ALBERT PRIESTMAN, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, and EDWARD C. MOORE, a citizen of the United States, and bothresidents of the city and' county of Philadelphia, State ofPennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Apparatus for Controllingthe Admission and Relief of Pressure to Tanks and other Appliances, ofwhich the following is a specilication.

A part of our impro vein ents relate to devices for automaticallycontrolling a valve, which in turn controls the admission of pressure toa motor, by the pressure of the fluid controlled by the movements ofsuch motor. An application of these devices is described at lengthhereinafter, in which the motor operates a valve mechanism to controlthe liow of compressed air or gas to a tank or appliance, and theadmission of compressed air or gas to the motor to operate it iscontrolled by a valve which is in turn controlled by the pressure in thetank or appliance. Heretofore, it has been proposed in apparatus of thiskind to control the opening of the controlling` valve directly by thepressure in the tank or appliance, but the closing` of the valve hasbeen controlled by devices independent of such pressure. Such apparatusis shown in Letters Patent 914.497 and 914,673, dated March 9th, 1909.Not only has this necessitated the use of more or less complicatedmechanism, but it has been difficult, by such means, to accomplish thequick and certain operation which is desired. It is usually desirable,in apparatus of this kind, that the closing of the controlling valveshould follow very quickly after the opening, so that the valve is openjust for the instant necessary to admit a charge of air or gassuiiicient to operate the motor, the return of the motor being"controlled by independent means.

It is one of the objects of our invention to control the closing of thiscontrolling valve directly by the pressure of the air or gas admitted bythe motor controlled valve mechanism, so that not only is such closingvalmost instantaneous, but it is accomplished by very simple andeconomical means.

Another part of our improvements relate to devices for controllingl theexhaust or vent Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 6, 1908.

Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

Serial No. 441,960.

from the tank or appliance, to which the pressure is admitted, by theressure in such appliance independently of t e operation of the motorcontrolled valve mechanism which primarily controls the admission anddischarge of the motor Huid. This is particularly of importance in thatclass of apparatus, such as sewage lifts, in which it is desirable touse the air or gas eXpansively. It is very desirable that the air or gasshould be used expansively, as it enables a measured charge to be usedat each Operation, but to obtain the full advantages of such a system itis necessary that the measured charge should be just sufficient to doits work and that the pressure should not he relieved until the chargehas accomplished that work by an eX- pansion continued to the intendedextent. The charge of compressed air should be only sufficient, whenused expansively, to give a resulting` pressure when the liquid has beenforced from the tank, equal to the pressure due to the head againstwhich the liquid has been lifted. The charge of compressed air isapplied when the rising fluid has iilled the receiver, but the exhaustvent opens, regardless of the falling level of the liquid, only when thepressure in the tank reaches a predetermined point. It has been proposedto accomplish this independent control of the exhaust by the pressure inthe tank or appliance by the same means which control thel operation ofthe controlling valve/which controls the admission of motor fluid to themotor for actuatinY the main valve mechanism, but this is objectionablebecause itinterferes to some extent with the control of the controllingvalve. In carrying out this part of our invention we employ an auxiliaryor secondary relief valve to control the vent` or exhaust independentlyof the main valve mechanism and control it independently of the devicesfor actuating the controlling valve, so that the operation of suchsecondary relief valve depends solely upon the pressure in the tank orappliance, or on the force pipe which leads to it, and is not aifectedby any of the other mechanisms.

Our invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with sewagelifting apparatus for forcing sewage from a tank or receiver to a higherlevel, it is not however, restricted in its principal features to suchuse, but may he employed in connection with any appliance to which lluidpressure is lo be applied and relieved at' intervals.

In the drandngs: Figure 1 is a Vertical `sectional View of apparatusembodying the invention, the controlling valve and its .znnections beingshown in elevation; Fig, 2 is a vertical section enlarged of' thecontrolling valve; Fig'. 3 is a side elevation ot the apparatus showingthe saine connected with a forcing tank, the latter heilig in verticalsection; and Fig. 4 is a longitudiiuil section of the relief 'valve .torthe main valve mechanism on an enlarged scale.

L is any appliance to which the pressure is applied at intervals; asshown il is a torcing tank or receptacle which receives sewage through asupply pipe c1. and from which the sewage is forced through a dischargepipe a? (Z is a i'luid pressure pipe which leads to the upper partof thereceptacle o.

y) is a valve cylinder having an inlet p at: vthe top communicating withthe pressure main (Zt, an outlet port pf to the vent pipe e and a portif to the 'tluid pressure pipe rZ. In the' upper part of the cylinder pis a piston Valve g which controls con'nnunicetion between the port p3and the inlet chamber or space p', and belowthis, carried by the pistonrod or stem r', is a valve Q which controls the communication betweenthe ports 1292 and p3. The valves g and g constitute the Valve mechanismwhich controls the pressure pipe (Z to admit pres `nre to the tank a andto relieve the same. 'As shown the means for operating this Valve deviceconsists of ay piston or pressure motor.

p4 is a cylinder below the cylinder 7J in which is a motor or piston g2connected by a suitable coupling r2 with the Valve mechanism Q, 1", g.The piston g2 is of larger diameter than the piston Valve y.

(Z5 is a pressure pipe for admitting pressure below the piston Q2. Asshown the cylinder p4 is open at the bottom and tits in chamber p5 inthe base casting g. The pipe CZ5 may lead directly iuto the chamber p5,but we prefer (for the purpose herein after describe-d) to have itlead,as at r, into a closed .chamber L which communicates through a suitableopening p6 with the chamber' p5.

The admission of pressure through the pipe Z5 is controlled by acontrolling valves (see Fig. 2). As shown the Valve s is arranged in abody z" having an outlet (Z lead. ing to the pipe CZ and an inlet d2communicating with a branch CZ3 from the pressure main d, or preferably,as shown, leading from the inlet chamber p in the head of the valvecylinder p.

Z7 is a hand valve in the branch cZ'ri by which the supply of pressureiuid from the main Z4 may be shut olf. When t-lie valve s is opened airpressure Atroni the branch f/ will extend into the chamber yf' and actou the piston (/L'. 'lho saine pressure per square inch will then beacting oppositely on the piston (j and (/2 and by reason ot the greaterarea ot the latter, the piston will niove npward and the vent port yf'will he closed by the valve (g, while. the Valve r/ will openeonununication between the port p and iluA inlet chamber p, and the airpressure. will bev admitted to the pipe (Z and thence to the tank o todischarge its contents.

t is a Vent to relieve the pressure in the chamber jf when the Valve sis closed. lior convenience o't illustration it shown lo cated at oneend ot the chamber /z.. lVhen the valve s is closed the press-ure on thepiston (/2 will be reduced, and when it has fallen su'tlieiently theparts (j, r', f/ and (/l' will move back. This will result in closingeonnnuriication between the inlet 2) and port p3 and openingconnuunication between the ports 79"; and p2 to the Vent c. ',llie rentmay be regulated by a valve t (Fig. l) to control the escape from belowthe piston y: and the time at 'which the valves and f/ will be operated.The construction ot the valve t not material but for purposes etillustration we have shown a cup' lf2 adapted to be screwed into therent opening and having a small orifice t3 controlled by a needle Valve1f carried in an arm on the cup. shown the valve s is controlledautomatically by the conditions, i. e. the aceun'iu ation otl sewage inthe tank a.

f (Fig. 3) is a small bell in the upper part of the tank a, from whichan air pipe 7' leads to a motor chamber e0 below the motor te, which, asshown7 is formed in th). base casting r/ above the chamber Zi. Above themotor is a hollow dome e', on the top ot which is located the Valve bodya" of tl e valve s. The valve s controls the thoroughtare between theinlet {Zg and outlet .Z, and its stem s2 which extends down through atubular extension in the body i makes ncontact with a pin m on a plate mon the upper face of the motor w.

s is a spring between the valve stein s2 and the valve body acting tohold the valve normally closed. As shown the lower end of the valve stemsi carries an open cup s" which surrounds the spring and acts as thebearing for its lower end.

l/Vhen the sewage lills the tank .fr and forces air through the bell fand pipe f into the motor chamber w', the motor in will be lifted andthe pin m acting on the Valve stem s2 will lift the valve s and opencommunication between the pipes Z3 and ot". m2 is a cup or recess on themotor plate m to enable the motor to be conveniently WeightedLas by theaddition of shot, to regulate its action under the pressure in the motorchamber fw. It is desirable that the.

closing of the valve a, the opening of which is thus controlled by theconditions in the tanl; u, should also be controlled by thoseconditions. For this purpose we employ the domal forming a closedchamber above the motor fw and a. pipe o leading from the chamber to theforce pipe d. .is soon as the valves f/ and g have been operated by theopening of the valve n and air pressure is admitted to the pipe (l, thispresun'e will also act through the pipe o ou the upper side of thc motorand will force it bach', thus enabling the spring s to close the valves. This is possible because the direct pressure exerted through the pipeo on the upper side of the motor fu: plus the weight on the motor isgreater than the pressure acting through the bell and pipe f ou thelower side. The operation of the valve s is therefore almostinstantantmus, and the movement of the .'alres r/ f/ in c flosiug theinlet p and opening the vent port p2 is controlled entirely by Atherelief of the pressure on the piston ([2 through the vent t. il-Thilothe ops-mation of the valve .s and the movement of the valves (j and yto open the port fr" to the inlet p and to close the vent port. p3 arecontrolled by the conditions existing in the tank o, the oppositemovement of the valves Q and y to close the inlet and open the vent portp2 are independent of those conditions and are timed by the relief ofthe pressure through the vent t.

In some cases it is desirable that the time of operation of the valves gand Q should also be controlled by varying the cubical capacity of thespace through which the pressure is exerted which acts on the piston g2;and for this reason the chamber' z is employed. The pressure pipe Z5instead of opening directly into the chamber p5 below the piston Q2leads into the chamber /lzwhich colm'nunicates through suitable openingsp" with the chamber 725. It is obvious that the interval of time beforethe piston f2 will be operated after the valve s has been actuated,lwill depend upon the cubical capaci ty of the chamber L, and thiscubical capacit-y may be varied-and consequently the time of operationof the piston gQ-by the introduction of liquid in the chamber 72.. Suchliquid may be introduced through the vent t (the valve t2 being removed)or through any other convenient plugged opening provided for thepurpose. It is very desirable in apparatus of this kind that the airshould be used expansively, so that only that charge of air need be usedat each operation which will be suiiicient, acting expansively, to givea resulting pressure suflicient to lift the liquid to the point ofdischarge. This result is accomplished by controlling the vent from thetank by the pressure in the tank, so that the vent will not open torelieve the pressure in the tank until that pressure has,

by expansion, fallen to an amount slightly in excess of the pressure dueto the head against which the expelled liquid has been lifted. For thispurpose we employ the secondary exhaust valve /1 controllingcommunication between the vent port p2 and the vent pipe or outlet e. Asshown this valve o is located in a valve box a having passageways a andau communicating respectively between the port 21"" and the force piped, and between the exhaust port p2 and the vent pipe or outlet e. Thevalve opens outwardly and controls a thoroughfare b2 in the passageway71.2,' the valve stem extends through the passageway n and carries apiston o moving freely .in an open cylinder n in the Valve box andsubjected to the pressure in the passagenuly a. The diameter of thepiston L is slightly greater than that of the valve Y). The valve andpiston are loose and normally will occupy a lowered position by gravit-ywith the valve Z) open. The 'alve may be additionally weighted by theintroduction of shot in the recess c above the piston b3.

Then the valves g', g" have been operated to close the inlet p and opencommunication between the ports p2 and 27 as shown in Fig. l, thepressure in the tank a exerted through the force pipe (l will actoppositely on the piston b3 and the valve disk 7, and if sufiicient toovercome the weight of the valve nechanism, will, because of the greaterarea of the piston L3, hold the mechanism raised vith the valve oclosed. As soon however, as the pressure becomes too weak to overcomethe weight of the mechanism by reason of the difference in the areas of3 and 7), the mechanism will drop and the valve Z) will open. It followsthat by properly regulating the weight of the valve mechanism, the.valve b may be set to open atI that pressure which will have beenreached in the tank c when the air has completed its effectiveexpansion.

Vhile we prefer the details of construction shown they may. be variedwithout departing from the invention.

What we claim is as follows:

1. In apparatus of the character specified. the combination of anappliance to which the pressure is to be applied, valve mechanismexterior to the appliance to control the admission of pressure to saidappliance, means to control said valve mechanism, a relief valve tocontrol the relief of the pressure from the appliance independently ofsaid valve mechanism., and means independent of the means to controlsaid valve mechanism and controlled by the pressure in the applianceexterior to said appliance to control said relief valve.

2. In apparatus of the character specified, the combination of anappliance to which pressure is to be applied, a delivery pipe leading tosaid appliance, valve mechanism to control the admission and relief offluid pressure in said delivery pipe, and a secondary valve forcontrolling the reliefI of said delivery pipe independently of' thevalve mechanism and controlled directly by the y pressure in thedelivery pipe, said valve devices being all located exterior to theappliance so as not to be subjected to contact with the contentsthereof.

3. In a paratusof the character specified, the combination of anappliance to which pressure is to be applied, a delivery pipe leading tosaid appliance, valve mechanism to control the admission of fluidpressure to said delivery pipe, and a valve for controlling the reliefof said delivery pipe independently of the valve mechanism whichcontrols the admission of pressure to said pipe and controlled by thepressure in said delivery pipe, said valve devices being all locatedexterior' to the appliance so as not to be subjected to contact with thecontents thereof.

4. In apparatus of the character specified, the combination of anappliance to which the pressure is to be applied, a delivery pipeleading to said appliance, a pressure supply pipe and a vent, valvemechanism exterior to the appliance to control communication betweensaid delivery pipe and the pressure pipe and vent respectively, meanscontrolled by the conditions in the appliance to operate said valvemechanism to open communication between the pressure supply pipe anddelivery pipe, means to control the return oi said valve mechanism toopen communication between the delivery pipe and vent, and lneansexterior to the appliance and independent of the means to control thevalve mechanism, to control said vent and controlled by the pressure inthe appliance.

In apparatus of the character specified, the combination of an applianceto which the pressure is to be applied, a delivery pipe leading to saidappliance, a pressure supply pipe and a vent, valve mechanism exteriorto the appliance to control communication between said delivery pipe andthe pressure pipe and vent respectively, means controlled by theconditions in the appliance to operate said valve mechanism to opencommunication between the pressure supply pipe and delivery pipe, meansto control the return of said valve mechanism to open communicationbetween the delivery pipe and vent, and a secondary valve exterior tothe appli ance for controlling said vent independently of said valvemechanism subjected to and controlled by the pressure in said deliverypipe.

(l. In apparatus of the character specified, the combination of a pipeto which pressure is to be applied, valve mechanism to control theadmission of fl uid pressure to said pipe,

a pressure motor for operating said valve mechanism, a controlling valveto control thc admission of fluid pressure to said motor, meanscontrolled by the pressure admitted to the pipe immediately on itsadmission to act-nate said controlling valve and shut off furtheradmission of fluid pressure to the motor for operating said valvemechanism, and means to control the return of the pressure motor and theclosing of valve mecha nism operated thereby controlled independently ofthe pressure in said pipe to which the pressure is applied.

7. In apparatus of the character specified, the combination of anappliance to which pressure is to be applied, valve mechanism to controlthe admission and relief of fluid pressure to said appliance, means tocontrol the operation of said valve mechanism, a controlling valve tocontrol said means for operating said valve mechanism, means controlledby the pressure in the appliance for both opening and closing saidcontrolling valve, and means independent of said controlling valve andof the pressure in the appliance to control the operation of said valvemechanism and its controlling means to relieve the pressure in saidappliance.

8. In apparatus of the character specified, the combination of anappliance to which the pressure is to be applied, a delivery pipeleading to said appliance, valve mechanism to control the admission offluid pressure to said appliance through said delivery pipe, means tooperate said valve mechanism, a controlling` valve to control said meansto operate said valve mechanism, means controlled by the pressureadmitted to the delivery pipe immediately upon its admission by saidvalve mechanism to actuate said controlling` valve and shut off furtheradmission of fluid pressure to the means to operate saidvalve-mechanism, and means independent of said controlling valve and ofthe pressure in the appliance to control the oper ation of said valvemechanism and its operl ating means to relieve the pressure in saiddelivery pipe and appliance.

9. In apparatus of the character specified, the combination of anappliance to which the pressure is to be applied, a delivery pipeleading to said appliance, valve mechanism to control the admission offluid to said appliance through said delivery pipe, means to operatesaid valve mechanism, a controlling valve to control said means tooperate said valve mechanism, means controlled by the conditions in theappliance to open said controlling valve, means controlled by thepressure admitted to the delivery pipe immediately upon its. admissionby said valve mechanism to close said controlling valve and shut olffurther admission of' fluid pressure to the means to operate said valvemechanism, and means independent of said controlling valve and of thepressure in the appliance to control the operation of said valvemechanism and its operating means to relieve the pressure in saiddelivery pipe and appliance.

l0. In apparatus ot the cliaracter specitied, the combination of anappliai'ice to which pressure is to be applied, a delivery pipe leadingto said appliance, valve mechanism to control the admission of fluidpressure to said appliance through said delivery pipe, means to operatesaid valve mechanism, a controlling valve to control said means tooperate said valve mechanism, means controlled by the pressure admittedto the dclivery pipe immediately on its admission by said valvemechanism to actuate said controlling valve and shut off furtheradmission of Huid pressure to the means to operate said valve mechanism,and a valve for controlling the relief of said delivery pipeindependently ol the valve mechanism which controls the admission ofpressure to said pipe and is controlled by the pressure in said deliverypipe, said valve devices being all located exterior to the appliance soas not to be subjected to Contact with the contents thereof.

1l. In apparatus of the character specilied, the combination of anappliance to which the pressureis to be applied, a delivery pipe leadingto said appliance, valve mechanism to control the admission of fluidpressure to said appliance through said delivery pipe, means to operatesaid valve mechanism, a controlling valve to control said means tooperate said valve mechanism, and means controlled by the pressureadmitted to the delivery pipe immediately upon its admission by saidvalve mechanism to actuate said controlling valve and shut olf furtheradmission of fluid pressure to the means to operate saidvalve-mechanism, a secondary valve for controlling the relief of saiddelivery pipe independent of the means for controlling the controlling`valve and controlled by the pressure in said appliance.

In testimony of which invention, We have hereunto set our hands,

ALBERT PRIESTMAN. EDWARD C. MOORE.

Witnesses:

E. B. BnssELrEvnn, R. M. KELLY.

